English Premier League: Weekend Play Preview - Part 2
Owen Coyle’s Bolton have surprised all and sundry with their impressive performances this season. Their fifth position in the table may be flattering but nonetheless a true testament to their grit and determination in the league this season. The Trotters
will be looking to continue their swashbuckling form when they host Blackpool at Reebok Stadium on Saturday. In their last outing, Owen Coyle’s men thrashed Newcastle by 5 goals to 1 and the Seasiders will be wary of their opponents' form tonight, looking
to avoid a similar fate as their newly promoted counterparts. Bolton Wanderers are unbeaten in their last four fixtures and having won three of them, they will be confident of notching up another win tonight against Blackpool.
Mick McCarthy’s Wolverhampton are a team that is enduring a torrid time in the league this season, bottom of the league and level on points with West Ham, winless in their last 9 matches. They will face Sunderland at the Molineux tonight. Having failed to
keep a clean sheet in their last 16 games, Wolves are in for a tough time against a Sunderland side that is looking to keep pace with the Premiership big boys. Sunderland have only lost twice this season and are currently occupying 7th spot in the
league. They will be looking to continue their impressive form on the road after having lost only once away from home this season.
After the dizzy heights of being the runs-up in the Europa League last season, Fulham’s fortunes have taken a dip this season as they are currently lying just one spot above the relegation zone in 17th. Fulham have won only once in their last 10 encounters
and the chances of notching up an elusive win do not get any brighter tonight as they face an in-form Birmingham side that only recently beat Chelsea at the St. Andrews. The Blues have only lost once in their last six games and with only two points separating
them from their opponents, they will be looking to notch up another win to keep them away from the relegation zone. But, the positive for Fulham tonight may be the fact that Blues have been poor on the road this season, having failed to win single of their
last 12 away games.
The last match on Saturday will be played at the Goodisson Park between Everton and West Bromwich Albion. The Toffees, after a decent run in the league, have recently gone off the boil, having only claimed one win in their last six games but tonight against
West Brom, they have a good chance of putting their campaign back on track. The two opponents are level on points heading into this match and both will be looking for a welcome win.
The two matches to be played on Sunday will be between Newcastle and Chelsea while Tottenham will face Liverpool in a feisty encounter.
St. James Park will be hosting the clash between Chelsea and Newcastle as Carlo Ancelotti’s men will be looking forward to put their recent miserable run of form behind them with a welcome win. Chelsea have lost 3 of their last five fixtures and have seen
their lead at the top of the table cut down only to goal difference. Ancelotti’s side will still be without Lampard and Terry when they face the Magpies. Chelsea have not lost consecutive matches in the league for over 11 years now but the record can take
a beating this Sunday when they face Newcastle side that is h**l bent upon establishing themselves as regulars in the league.
In the last match of the weekend, Spurs will face a Liverpool side that is struggling to march up the table, having lost to Stoke a week before last. They notched up a win last weekend and will be hoping to continue winning this week but their opponents
on Sunday will be no easy ones as they face a Spur’s side that has just secured its qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League. Spurs are currently sixth in the table and will be looking to notch up back to back wins after their heroics against Arsenal
last week.
The matches to be played at the weekend are as follows:
Aston Villa v Arsenal
Bolton v Blackpool
Everton v West Brom
Fulham v Birmingham
Man Utd v Blackburn
Stoke v Man City
West Ham v Wigan
Wolves v Sunderland
Sunday
Newcastle v Chelsea
Tottenham v Liverpool
Tags: